Every Step
by SnowingShipper
Summary: Snow and Emma talk in Neverland


**I've disappeared for some time thanks to coursework and a plethora of other things (for which I'm especially sorry to wickedmusicallove), but last Sunday's premier and the 'Lost Girl' teasers have really kicked my muse into action. So without further ado, here's my little Emma/Snow one-shot.**

"Emma?"

Emma jumped violently at the voice. The woods had never made her feel comfortable at the best of times, she was a city girl at heart, but everything about Neverland made her overly anxious.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," Snow said nervously, moving closer to her daughter and holding out a blanket. "I just wondered if you were cold."

"I'm alright," Emma responded, sharper than she'd meant it, as she turned back to staring at the trees.

"Oh, okay." Snow pulled the blanket to her chest, glancing over at her husband and then back to her daughter. She wanted nothing more than to give her baby a hug and tell her everything would be alright, but Emma's blunt revelations on the ship warned her that the gesture would be less than appreciated.

Emma looked up at Snow again.

"You can sit down if you want to," Emma said quietly, and Snow's face broke into a wide smile of relief as she sat herself on the ground beside her daughter. Almost instinctively, Emma shuffled away slightly and Snow tried desperately to bite back the tears that were threatening to form.

They sat in contemplative silence for a few moments as Snow tried to envisage what to say. '_I'm sorry' _was the obvious choice, but she'd done everything so wrong for such a long time that she wasn't even sure what she should apologise for.

"I'm proud of you," Snow blurted out suddenly, but with a sincerity that made Emma look round at her in surprise.

"What for?" She asked, a bewilderment in her voice that made Snow's heart brake.

"That speech you gave down on the beach. That was good. It was what we all needed. A reminder of why we're here, why we need to put aside our differences."

Emma smiled slightly, a conflict raging inside her. She was still furious at the Snow for so many reasons, but there was a part of her, small yet undeniable, that craved the approval she'd dreamed of for so long.

"I just needed everyone to knock off the fighting so we could focus on finding Henry," she eventually said with a shrug.

Snow winced slightly, "I'm sorry about that Emma."

Emma couldn't help the smirk that came to her face. "It was stupid and we had better things to worry about, but that was one hell of a punch."

Snow gave a snort of laughter. "I know I should regret it, and I _am _sorry, it was neither the time nor the place; but that felt so good. I think I should have punched her years ago."

Emma laughed, but the smile dropped from Snow's face and her expression hardened.

"You almost gave me a heart attack, jumping overboard like that."

Emma stopped smiling too, unsure whether to feel sorry or indignant. "No one would listen to me."

"I know," Snow admitted. "And I'm sorry, but please Emma, don't scare me like that again."

Emma nodded, turning away. "I hate this place," she said bitterly.

"Me too," Snow agreed. "But its only until we find Henry. Then we can go home and everything will be okay."

As soon as the words had passed her lips, Snow realised it was the wrong thing to say. Emma jumped to her feet, anger blazing in her eyes.

"There you go again with your ridiculous, unfounded optimism! I refuse to leave this place without finding Henry, but please do share your genius plan for getting us 'home', if anyone even knows where that is any more! We used the last bean to get here in the first place so Henry or no Henry, we're trapped!"

"Emma," Snow pleaded, standing up beside her daughter. "I didn't mean to upset you, I just. . ." Snow sighed and shook her head. "I know that if there's one thing that you and Regina agree on, it's that I'm a naïve little princess but Emma, I do understand pain and rejection; more than you think I do. Optimism is just my way of coping with it, like your walls are yours. Ever since I was little, the only way I've gotten through anything is by believing that everything will work out."

"Well I've only gotten through each day by believing that this is as good as it gets, because _nothing _in my whole life has ever worked out."

"Emma. . ."

"Don't you dare start trying to say Henry, or you, or anything! Yes, I found my son and my parents but what good has come of that? We got trapped in Fairytale Land, countless people have died and now my son is all alone out there somewhere in this place. A place that none of us understands and was only ever supposed to exist in a storybook. All of this was only supposed to exist in a storybook! The Evil Queen, Prince Charming, Snow White! You don't belong in the real world! You don't belong in _my_ world!"

Tears ran down Snow's cheeks and Emma eyes began to water.

"Good is supposed to win in storybooks and you told me that good was supposed to win in your world too, but all we've done is a lot of losing! For so long, I never had anyone that I cared about, and every time that I've found someone, I've lost them! Neal, August, Henry, Neal again. And sooner or later I'll lose everyone else. Hook, David, you, because things _don't_ work out okay! Things _never_ work out okay!"

"Emma, I know this is a lot to take and I know that everything has been so hard on you for your whole life, but Emma, you have to listen to me," Snow clasped Emma's arms and spoke with a conviction and determination that was foreign to her daughter. "If you never believe anything that I tell you again, believe this. You will _not _lose me. You will _never _lose me. I have spent as much time separated from you as I'm willing to take so, whether you want me or not, I'm in this for the long haul."

Emma stared back at her mother, her eyes filled with tears, unsure whether to yell again or cry. "I need to find Henry but nothing's been working and I just feel so helpless."

"Emma," Snow said softly, tucking a strand of her daughter's blonde hair behind her ear and cradling her cheek. "You are far from helpless, you slayed a dragon, remember? And you befriended a giant, you saved the entire town, you stopped a magical storm; Emma! You are anything but helpless, and if anyone can find Henry, it's you."

Tears began to fall from Emma's eyes as she tilted her head to rest against her mother's palm.

"You'll find Henry," Snow assured her. "And I'm going to be right here with you, every step of the way."


End file.
